Book Review- The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elisabeth George Speare

So I actually didn’t read this book until my teen years because it had witch in the title and we don’t do witches in our house. I missed out on a classic! This book was amazing.

Rating: ***** 5 stars!
Audience: Boys and girls would both enjoy it but I think girls would like it more because the main character was a girl and there was some who will marry who in it. Nothing sentimental or romancy though.

Characters:
Kit- orphan from the exotic island of Barbados
Uncle Matthew- Kits stern Puritan uncle
Aunt Rachel- Kits kind and submissive aunt
Judith- Kits vain but hardworking cousin
Mercy- Kits sweet, kind, loving, crippled cousin
Nat Eaton- the son of Captain Eaton of the “Dolphin”, friend of Hannah Tupper (He was one of my favorite characters)
William Ashby- Rich admirerer of Kit
Prudence- daughter of mean Goodwife Cruff, she is befriended by Kit and introduced to Hannah Tupper.
Hannah Tupper- The “witch” of Blackird pond, she is really just a sweet Quaker woman
John Holbrook- studious student of the Reverend, admirerer of Mercy

Basic Plot: When Kit goes to America to live with her uncle and her family she is not prepared for the stern, solemn way of life of the Puritans. She always seems to make mistakes and get in trouble and on top of all that William Ashby is trying to get her to marry him! She finds comfort and hope from Hannah Tupper, the Quaker “witch”. When the towns epidemic of sickness is blamed on Hannah, Kit helps her escape but what will happen when SHE is accused of witchcraft?

This was a beautiful piece of children’s fiction. It had a great plot and characters and kept you reading and reading. A most endearing work of art.

Priscilla